Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!mintaka!wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu!rjc
From: rjc@wookumz.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell)
Subject: Re: AMIGA DEMOS: Europe VS. USA
Message-ID: <1991Apr23.014906.4188@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>
Keywords: demos
Sender: news@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu
Organization: The Internet
References: <20691@brahms.udel.edu> <2491@swrinde.nde.swri.edu>
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 91 01:49:06 GMT
Lines: 74

In article <2491@swrinde.nde.swri.edu> kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk) writes:
>In article <20691@brahms.udel.edu> jon@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Deutsch) writes:
>>
>>About amiga demos:
>>
>>It just seems to me that from the evidence I've been shown,
>>
>>-- Europeans seem to get the 'head start' on computing, seeing that the
>>   average demo-writer in Europe is still in his teens.
>>
>>	This is not to say that America is a lame provider of software
>>	for the Amiga.  Far from it.  Practically every productivity/
>>	utility/system software package was developed in the States.
>>	And, even a few very nice demos as well.
>
>I think you have hit on something here. I wonder if it isn't that
>comparatively few U.S. teenagers are developing software on any
>platform. I personally only know of a couple who do. Most are too busy
>going to the mall, etc. on weekends.

   No, I don't think this is it. I hate to mention it, but take the
C64 as an example, a huge amount of demos, bbs/telecom, and utility
software was written by US teenagers. I'm willing to bet that
there are more US teenagers using computers too. Compare the number
of teen run BBS's vs the # in Europe. I think the programming ability
is distributed about equally on both sides of the atlantic, it's
the mere fact that in Europe, the Amiga is much more abundant than it
is here. There are a number of US demo programmers who do it European
style, I know 2 personally myself who live local to me. I'll try to upload
some of their work to ab20, if I can find it on my disks. I noticed one
thing about US programmers however, most of them prefer to program the
OS and do high level programming. Check out the demo called
'solar.lzh' on abcfd20.larc.nasa.gov, it was programmed by an old
friend of mine called "The Changeling." It's an old demo, but I think
it's the first thing he did when he got his Amiga.

>Sure wish we could harness all that European creativity and free time
>into better productivity software...

  Most of the demo coders have a total disrespect for the operating system.
The better and more ambitious ones usually go on to program games. Not
meant as an insult.

  The number of code hackers on each side seems to be the same, take
the # of programmers of PD type fish stuff, the Euro's and Yanks are
about equal. 

  I sure hope this doesn't start a America vs Euro flame war. One reason
I replied, is because I know alot of people who do/did this kind of
programming, and there isn't a dichotomy between the # and quality
of teen "hackers" in he US and Europe.

>=====================================================================
>Kent Polk - Southwest Research Institute - kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu
>                  "Duct Tape is like the Force...
>It has a Light Side, a Dark Side, and it holds the Universe together"
>=====================================================================

BTW, I've been programming since the age of 13, and I used to code
demos on the C64. When I got an Amiga, is was time for college
and without a  monitor/debugger/freezer cartridge like I had on the C64,
it is a little harder to bash the hardware because of GURU/Lockups and
the long time it takes to reboot the whole environment. Also, 
my grades suffered during high school because of my fascination with
programming and telecomputing. If the Amiga sales pick up in the US,
perhaps some more demo coders may arise, but  most of the new programmers
I see arive on the Amiga are "looking for a good C compiler" so I guess
assembly language hacking is losing it's popularity.

--
/ INET:rjc@gnu.ai.mit.edu     *   // The opinions expressed here do not      \
| INET:r_cromwe@upr2.clu.net  | \X/  in any way reflect the views of my self.|
\ UUCP:uunet!tnc!m0023        *                                              /

